Tuck-marker for sewing-machines



(No M0551.) Y I i A 2 sheets-s115551.

F. L. GOODRICH. TUGK MARKER EUR SEWING MACHINES.

No. 553,850. 6 i Patented E55. 4, 1895..

3 @fj/77 f n 4 54555 E j 4i Tf ,Ffm/LL gwdn'c ANDREW B GRAIIAM.PMUTO'UTHQWASNINGTDN. D-C

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

F. L. GOODRIGH. TUGK MARKER FOR SBWINGMAGHINES.

No. 553,850'. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

ANDREW B.GRAHAM. FHDTO-LWN@WASMINGYON- D C NTTED STATES PATENT OFF-TCE.

FRANK L. GOODRICII, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TUCK-MARKER FOR SEWINGIVIACHINES.

srncrrroarron forming part qfneaers Patent No. 553,850, dated February 4, 189e.

Application filed January 25, 1893. Serial Nox 459,718. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. GOODRICH, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and Sta-te of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tuck Markers or Creasers for Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of sewing -inachine attachments known as tuck markers or creasers, which serve to mark or crease fabrics at the points where they are to be folded and stitched to form tucks; and the objects of my invention are to produce a tuck marker or creaser which shall be composed of but few parts, so as to possess the utmost simplicity and compactness of construction; furthermore, to produce a tuck marker or creaser which shall be direct, positive, and uniform in its creasing or marking action, and also capable of being easily and quickly adjusted so as to mark or crease properly for tucks of various widths.

A still further object of my invention is to produce a tuck marker or creaser which shall be so constructed as to permit wire to be used advantageously as the principal structural material of the attachment.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a tuck marker or creaser embodying my invention, showing the same in operative relation to the needle-bar of a sewing-machine. Fig. 2 is a similar plan view of a modilied form of a tuck marker or creaser also embodying my invention. Fig. is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1, the device being here also shown in operative relation to the needle-bar of a sewing-machine. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. l, the section being taken on the line 4.4 ofFig. l, and

the direction of view being to the right, as indicated by the arrow. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. l, the section being taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. i, and the direction of view being to the left, as indicated by the arrow. Fig. Gis a transverse vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. l, the section being taken on the line 6 G of Fig. l, and the direction of view being to the right, as indicated by the arrow. Fig. 7 is an irregular transverse vertical section of the structure shown in Fig. 2, the section being taken on the line 7 '7 of Fig. 2, and the direction of view being to the right, as indicated by the arrow. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the base portion of the marker or creaser disconnected. Fig. 9 is a detached plan view of the upper or creasing-arm portion of the structure shown in Fig. l. Fig. l0 is a detached plan view of the gage-plate. Fig. ll'is a detached side elevation of the gage-plate. Fig. l2 is a detached plan view of the clamping or attaching plate.

I will iirst describe the construction illustrated in the drawings, exclusive of Figs. 2 and 7, and will then describe the modifications which are illustrated in said two figures of the drawings.

The attachment, as shown, consists essentially of a lower or frame portion having a guide and retaining arm for the gage-plate and also carrying the creasing or marking rib and a fabric-guide, and an upper portion which constitutes the creasing or marking arm and which is actuated by the needle-bar of a sewing-machine.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 8, A designates the front arm or bar of the lower or frame portion of the attachment, this front bar being of suitable length and also of flattened form, and, furthermore, extending longitudinally throughout the entire length of the creasing or marking attachment. At its right-hand end the front barA is formed with an integral extension A, which protrudes upwardly, and also, at right angles, rearwardly from the front bar A. The extension A is also of flattened form and is united integrally at its rear end to the right-hand end of a horizontal clamping and guiding arm A2, which extends parallel with the frontv bar A just IOC) back of the latter, as shown, the bar A2 be ing much shorter than the front bar A and extending somewhat above the plane of the latter, as shown. At its left-hand end the front bar A is integrally united to a bar A3, which extends rearwardly at right angles from the front bar and which may be termed the creaserbar of the attachment. This creaser-bar A3 is also of flattened form, and, at its rear end portion, carries a fabric-guiding lug CL and a creasing or marking lug a', the guiding-lug a being located just in front of the creasing or marking lug a. These lugs a and a' are formed integrally with the right-hand edge or margin of the bar A3, and the guidinglug a extends to the right beyond the margin of the bar, while the lug a extends vertically upward from the bar, the upper side of the lug a being edged sufficiently to form a mark or crease in the fabric, without cutting or injuring the fabric, when the fabric is pressed downward upon the lug, as hereinafter explained.

It is to be observed that the clamping and guide arm A2 is shown as of cylindrical form, while the creaser-bar A3 and front bar A and also the extension A are of iiat form, and this is due to the fact that the said parts are formed originally from a single piece of wire stock of suitable gage and strength, the wire being bent into the required form and iiattened at the points occupied by the creaserbar, front bar, and extension A', and the iiattening being accomplished either before or after the bending operation, as preferred.

The upper part of the creasing or marking attachment consists of a front bar B, (see Fig. 0,) which corresponds in length to the front bar A of the lower portion of the attachment, and which rests upon the said front bar A. At its left-hand end the front bar B is integrally united to a creaser-bar B', which extends rearwardly at right angles from the front bar B so as to immediately overlie the creaser-bar A3 of the lower portion of the attachment, this creaser-arm being formed at its rear end, as hereinafter explained, to press at times upon the creasing-lug a' of the bar A3. At its right-hand end the front bar B is integrally united to an extension-arm B2, which extends rearwardly at right angles from the front bar B, and which immediately overlies the extension A' of the lower frame of the attachment. This extension-bar B2 is of such length as to extend rearward considerably beyond the extension A', and at its rear end said extension-arm is integrally united to a depressible presser-arm B3, which extends longitudinally toward and over and also beyond the rear end of the creaser-arm B.

It will be observed that the front bar B, creaser-arm B, extension B2, and also the presser-arm B3 are of cylindrical form, and this is due to t-he fact that said parts are all originally formed from a single piece of stockwire, of proper gage and strength, and bent into the required form. This upper part of the attachment is secured, at the point of union of the front bar B with the extensionarm B2, to the lower frame portion at the point of union of the front bar A with the extension A. thereof, the upper part of the attachment being Iiattened, as shown at Y), so as to permit either solder or rivets to be used for connecting the lower and upper parts of the attachment together. The front bar B extends, throughout the principal part of its lengt-h, a slight distance above the front bar A of the lower portion, for a purpose to be presently explained, and the presserbar B:E automatically rises and resumes its normal position, after having been depressed, by virtue of the resilience of the wire. The rear end portion of the creaser-arm B' is curved downward in segmental forni, as at U, at a point immediately above the creasing-lu g a', and in the under side of this segmental portion is formed a longitudinal groove or notch b2 into which at times enters the creasinglug u', so as to form the crease or mark in the fabric. The rear extremity of the creaserarm B' is extended obliquely rearward and upward, as at b3, and is engaged by the lefthand end portion b4 of the presser-arm B3, this end portion b4 being preferably bent upon itself into approximately U form, as shown, and the inclined position of the part b3 insuring noiseless engagement therewith by the end portion b4.

C designates the clamping or attach ing plate for the attachment, this plate being shown as of approxim ately rectangular form and as pro vided, nearits rear right-hand corner, with an opening c, through which is inserted an attaching-screw C, which also enters a suitable opening in the bed-plate of a sewing-machine- A clamping-post C2 rises from the plate C, the lower end of said post being shown as reduced to extend through the body portion of the plate C and as having its lower extremity upset or riveted, as at c', against the under side of the plate C. A transverse opening is formed through the upper part of this post C2, and through this openin g extends the guide-bar A2 of the attachment. A clamliingscrew C3 is threaded downwardly into the upper end of the post C2 and impinges at its lower end upon the guide-bar A2, so as to prop erly retain the attachment in connection with the attaching-plate C. It will thus be seen that if the clamping-screw C3 be loosened the entire attachment can be moved to the left or to the right, so as to bring the immediate creasing devices farther from or nearer to the needle of the machine, and so, consequently, as to cause the creases to be made farther apart or nearer together in the fabric, the guide-rod A2 moving freely in the post C2 during this adjustment and the clampingscrew C3 being tightened upon the guide-bar after the adjustment has been completed.

The front portion C4 of the clamping and IOO IIO

attaching plate C is depressed so as to form a groove in which the front bar A of the attachment moves freely, as the adjustments above described are being made, and the front margin c of this depressed portion C4 is turned upward to form a longitudinal flange again st which the front bar A is guided. The upturned flange c is formed with an upwardly and inwardly extending lug c2, which embraces the outer side of the front bar A and the upper part of which extends between the front bars A and B, the lug c2 serving as a guide to properly direct the movements of the parts during the above-described adjustments of the attachment. In this function the lug c2 is assisted by a second lug c3, which is shown as turned upward from the body of the clamping-plate, but which may be formed in any suitable manner, and which presses against the rear margin of the front bar B, so as to force said bar against the lug c2.

D designates the gage-plate, this plate being of approximately Lshape in cross-section and its left-hand end or body portion extending lengthwise rearward and forward of the attachment, as shown. Midway of its length this gage-plate is formed with an adjustingarm D, which exten ds at right angles from the plate, and which is shown as approximately U form in cross-section. TWhen the gageplate is in proper operative position, the arm D extends toward the right from the plate and lies beneath the guide-bar A2, and also extends through the opening of the post C2. Thus it will be seen that when the clampingscrew C3 has been loosened, the gage-plate D can be moved to the right or to the left independently of the attachment itself, so as to assume a position which will accord with the width of tucks, the clamping-screw being subsequently tightened, so as to properly retain the plate D in its desired position.

A recess d is formed in the upper side of the front portion of the gage-plate D, into which recess enters the front bar A, so that the required transverse position of the gage-plate relative to the attachment itself shall lbe preserved however the plate may be adjusted, and the body portion of the plate is shown as depressed somewhat below the level of the arm D" so as to lie closely upon the bed-plate of the sewing-machine.

As above stated, the presser-bar Bsis actuated by the clamping-screw which secures the needle to the needle-bar of the sewing-machine, and in order to effect this action a contact-arm E is carried by the presser-arm. This contact-arm E has an enlarged front end e which loosely surrounds the presser-arm B3, and the arm E itself is bent so as to extend obliquely rearward and upward beneath the clamping-screw f of the needle-bar F, this screw serving to secure the needle F to the needle-barin customary manner. Thus the screw f strikes and depresses the contact-arm E each time the needle-bar F descends, and

consequently depresses the presser-arm B3 so as to enable the left-hand end of said presserarm to form the crease-marks, the inclined position of the end of the contact-arm E insuring a noiseless contact of the clampingscrew f with the contact-arm.

Vhen the attachment is adj usted to the left or to the right, respectively, the contactarm E is moved to the right or to the left upon the presser-arm, so as to extend beneath the screw f at all times, a set-screw e being threaded into the front end c of the contactarm and impin ging upon the presser-arm B3 so as to retain the con tact-armin the position to which it has been adj usted. In solid lines, in Fig. 3, the presser-arm B3 is shown as extending horizontally from its point of union with the extension B2 to its free end, but as this would cause an undesirable variation of the pressure upon the creasing-blade, as the contact-arm E is adjusted to different positions upon the creaser-arm, said creaser-arm is practically made so as to be normally higher at its point of union with the extension B2 than at its free end, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the inclination of the presser-arm thus attained compensating for differences in leverage, resulting from varying positions of the contact-arm, and consequently rendering the pressure upon the creaser-lug always practically uniform.

In Figs. 2 and 7 I have shown an arrangement which embraces the same essential principles of construction and arrangement as those of the construction just described, and have designated like parts of the two structures by similar letters of reference. In this instance, however, the presser-arm and front bar of the upper part of the attachment are not formed integrally, as before, but separately from each other. The right-hand end of the front bar B is in this instance flattened, as at g, and is either soldered to the righthand end of the front bar A or is riveted or otherwise suitably secured to said end of said front bar, as at g. The front end of the extension-arm B5 (which corresponds in function to the extension-arm B2) is likewise nattened and is either soldered to the front end of the extension A or is riveted or otherwise suitably secured thereto, as at g2. Moreover, in this instance the contact-arm E is not carried by the presser-arm B4, (corresponding to the presser-arm 133,) but is carried at the left-hand end of a spring standard or arm I-I, the right-hand end of which is riveted to the plate C, as at h, or soldered or otherwise suitably secured to the said plate. The contactarm E in this instance remains always beneath the needle-bar screwf, however the attachment may be adjusted, and overlies the presser arm BL separately therefrom. In order to neutralize any possible variations in throw of the presser-arm B4, due to the nearness or reinoteness of the contact-arm to or from the left-hand end of the presserfarm, a

ICO

IIO

tap-screw 7L' may be threaded through the front end of the contact-arm, so as to strike at its lower end upon the upper side of the presser-arm.

In order to prevent the eontaeuarm E in Figs. l and 3 from turning upon the presserarm B3, said arm is shown as flattened, as at 1L', at the points embraced by the front end7 e, of said Contact-arm.

Having thus deseribed my invention, what I elaim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A tuck-marker Comprising a base-plate, a main front-bar portion provided at one end with an integral rearward extension carrying a creasing-blade and bent upon itself at its other end to form a gage-carrying bar which has sliding engagement with said base-plate, a gage mounted upon said gage-earryin g bar, a combined elothpresser and ereaser-arm and depressing-lever formed of resilient wire secured upon said front-bar portion, the ereaser portion thereof having a rearWardly-eurved end arranged to extend above and eoaet with the ereaser-blade and the depressing-lever portion being arranged to extend at its free end aeross and above said ereaser-arm and having at its said free end an obliquely-depending hook-shaped portion arranged to aet on the ereaser-arm7 means for operating said (lelressing-leyer from the needle-bar of the 1nael1ine,and a clamping-screw mounted upon the base-plate and arranged to simultaneously clamp the gage-Carrying bar and gage together and both to the base-plate, whereby both the bodily adjustment of the tuckmarker relatively to the needle and the adj ustment oit' the gage relatively to the ereaser may be accomplished upon the release of the single clamping-screw, substantially as deseribed and 'for the purposes set forth.

ln testimony that I ela-ini the foregoing my invention I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK L. GOODRICH. Vvvitnesses:

D. M. ELDRIDGE, I). PATTON. 

